Improvement in the construction of scythe-fasten ings



D. ANTHONY. Attaching Scythes to Snaths.

I I C lli IN C! Patented Nov 11, 1851.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID ANTHONY, SR, OF SPRINGPORT, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCYTHE-FASTENINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 8,502, dated November 11, 1851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID ANTHONY, of Springport, in the county of Cayuga and State of New York, have invented a new and In1- proved Mode of Attaching Scythes to Snaths; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the con struction of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a view looking from the point of the scythe. Fig. 2 is a view of the under side of the end of the snath. Fig. 3 is a View of the top of the end of the snath.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures.

The nature of my invention consists in attaching the scythe to the suath in such a manner that-the point may be thrown out or in with the greatest possible facility.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which it is constructed.

A represents the end of the snath, and B 0 two metal rings fitting on it. These metal rings are firmly fastened by means of wedges b 0, Figs. 1 and 3, which are driven in between the under sides of the rings, and a metal strip, d, Fig. 3, set in the snath in order to prevent abrasion.

D, Figs. 1 and 2, is a lever constructed of iron, and attached to the ring B by a bolt, 6, which serves as a pivot or fulcrum. The outer end of the lever D terminates in a conical socket, E, in the inner surface of which a female screw, f, is cut. The other end of the lever passes through an eye, g, which is attached to the ring 0.

F is the end of the scythe. This is some what conical, in order to conform to the shape of the socket, and has a screw out upon it, which works into the female screw f in the socket. The end of the scythe F is flattened or cut, so as to have two flat surfaces or sides, thus leaving spaces between them and the inner surface of the socket, in one of which a wedge, h, is driven to prevent the scythe from turning, and consequently getting loose. By this arrangement the scythe is firmly secured to the snath. Now,it will be seen by referring to Fig. 1, (see the red lines,) thatthe cuttingedge of the scythe may be raised or depressed,

as desired, for as the screw on the end of the scythe works into the female screw f in the socket, the cutting-edge is brought to the relever passes through the eye g. and consequently as the ring 0 is turned either left or right the lever is moved a certain distance. Forinstance, if it is desired to bring the point of the scythe in, the ring 0 is turned from right to left, and the socket E is therefore moved in a contrary direction, which brings the point toward the operator. The ring 0 is turned the reverse way when it is desired to throw the point out from the operator. The wedge c is removed when the ring 0 is to be turned and replaced when the scythe is properly adjusted.

What is technically termed spotting the scythe is attended with considerable difliculty in the old method of attaching the scythe to the snath. A portion of the end of the snath is chamfered off, leaving a flat surface, on which the end of the scythe is placed and a ring driven over it. Now, if this flat surface or spot is not exactly in the proper place, the labor'of mowing is' greatly augmented,and the spot must be altered or sawed off and a new one cut. The error in making the spot is quite frequent, as a person can but merely guess at the proper place. It will be seen that in my arrangement the spotting of the scythe is done with great facility, as the lever D and scythe attached to it can be moved round to any point desired. We will say, for instance, that it is necessary to have the socket at the point X, Fig. 1. The wedges b c are removed, and the rings B 0 turn round till the socket reaches the place. This is a great improvement, as trial is the only thing that will indicate the precise point on the snath where the scythe should be attached. Scythes attached in the old way have their ends bent a short distance, forming a right-angle with the other part. In my method no bending is required, the conical end and screw being on a line with the scythe, thus saving some labor and expense.

Having thus described the nature of my in vention, end the manner in which it is conto the ring 0, the fulcrum 0f the lever being structed, what I claim as my invention, and. near the end of the snath, as shown at e, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the scythe attached to the lower end. of the The mode of adjusting the lever D by rotatlever, as set forth. ing the ring 0 around its own axis, by which the point of the scythe is thrown out or drawn Witnesses: in, as shown and described the upper end of the lever D passingthrough an eye,g, attached DAVID ANTHONY, SR.

S. H. WALES, W. E. BRIDGES. 

